Bloomberg: - Exchange-traded funds are among the fastest-growing investments today, attracting one of every four new dollars going into stock funds last year. - Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., the world’s biggest plasma television maker, raised its profit forecast 18% after sales of larger, more expensive sets increased fiscal third-quarter net income. - The US said it won’t seek to impose economic sanctions on Iran if the UN nuclear watchdog sends the Islamic Republic before the Security Council over its atomic plans. - General Motors(GM) handed out technology contracts to six companies including Electronic Data Systems(EDS), Hewlett-Packard(HPQ) and Cap Gemini SA in the largest award ever offered by a company. - US retailers including Wal-Mart Stores(WMT) reported strong sales gains in January as gift cards, warm weather and a rebound in consumer confidence bolstered spending. - The NASD is expanding a probe of the world’s biggest brokerage firms for possible improper sales of hedge funds to individual investors. - Crude oil is falling after the US said it won’t immediately seek UN sanctions against Iran, easing concern that the world’s fourth-biggest oil producer will retaliate with an export cut. As well, US natural gas supplies are now 28.2% above the 5-year average.
Wall Street Journal: - Shopping cart races, a symbol of urban anarchy, are becoming more popular in US citites. - IBM(IBM), Google(GOOG), Oracle(ORCL) and other technology companies are supporting an open-source project designed to promote Ajax, a Web-development technology. - US power industry executives are backing President Bush’s goal for developing cleaner-coal technologies to use the country’s enormous domestic coal reserves.
AP: - Wal-Mart Stores(WMT) was sued by three Massachusetts women who claim the company broke state law by not stocking the “morning-after” pill.
NY Times: - US dependence on oil can be reduced by changing the way cars are made, citing the Rocky Mountain Institute, an energy researcher. - NYC, the largest US school district, plans to stop serving whole milk, a part of school lunches since 1946, in a bid to reduce risks of obesity, diabetes and other health problems. - Some US Internet companies are selling tickets to sporting events using futures-like contracts. - The FCC may tighten rules that have allowed mobile phone companies large discounts when buying government licenses to operate so-called third-generation wireless phone services. - The US hotel industry will spend a record $5 billion this year on upgrades and renovations, adding improvements such as wireless Internet operations. - Amazon.com(AMZN) said it has started a new program called Amazon Connect that allows writers to communicate in blogs, or Web logs, on the Seattle-based Internet retailer’s site. - Alternative fuels have become the latest hot investment craze at venture capital companies. - Palm Inc.(PALM) investor Mark Nelson, who owns 6.6% of the Treo mobile phone and handheld computer maker, wrote to the board urging them to consider selling the company.
LA Times: - Sirius Satellite Radio(SIRI) plans to prosecute anyone who attempts to pirate copies of Howard Stern’s radio show or any of its other programming. - “Survivor” fans will be able to download tonight’s episode of the reality television show from broadcaster CBS Corp.(CBS) for $1.99, a bid to rival Apple Computer’s iTunes service.
San Francisco Chronicle: - PG&E Corp.(PCG) predicts natural gas bills for heat and hot water will be lower this month than in January.
Capital: - United Internet AG plans to introduce its own version of the BlackBerry e-mail service in cooperation with Vodafone Group Plc(VOD).
Boersen-Zeitung: - DaimlerChrysler AG expects a new trend toward diesel sales in the US as the country tries to reduce its dependency on Middle Eastern oil imports, citing CEO Dieter Zetsche.
